DRAGONS players are expected to know who their long-term coach will be by this time next week and have welcomed the certainty ahead of a tough final month of footy.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
With Craig Fitzgibbon having knocked back the opportunity, the club will interview Anthony Griffin, David Furner and interim coach Dean Young on Thursday night.
Plenty are willing to declare Griffin, though Furner and Young will be given due consideration, the latter possibly staying on as an assistant and long-term successor.
Either way, fullback Matt Dufty says it will be good to see a resolution before the season's out and was happy to throw his support behind Young.
"It's obviously been the question lingering over the club since Mary [Paul McGregor] left," Dufty said.
"I think all the boys who've got contracts next year and moving forward need a bit of clarity and I think the club's doing its best to resolve it. Hopefully we know by next week.
"Deano's done a really good job. I've had him as a coach since 20s and I think he's come in with a real purpose and a real focus to improve the boys in the six weeks or so he's had.
"He's doing a really good job telling everyone what he wants, he's been straight up with everyone. The boys have really got on board over the last few weeks and I'd be really happy if Deano kept the job."
Halfback Adam Clune was part of the same stacked under 20s squad featuring the likes of Dufty, Euan Aitken, Jack Bird, Luciano Leilua, Drew Hutchison that reached prelim finals under Young and Ben Hornby.
He also endorsed Young's long-term claims, but said his focus will be on bouncing back from a disappointing last-start loss to the Titans.
"I've got a really good relationship with Youngy, all the boys have a really good relationship with him and it'd be good to see him get a genuine opportunity," Clune said.
"He's got six weeks at the back end of this year and probably doesn't get to do all the things he'd like to and make all the changes that he really wants. Hopefully he gets that chance but it's out of my hands.
"I think it'd be good for the players to have some certainty but it's not really the focus, we've got footy to play. That's around next year, we've got a great coaching staff and a great head coach for the remainder of this year and our focus is on the Cowboys this week."
Whoever the new coach is will have star lock Jack de Belin at their disposal pending the outcome of his much-publicised court case.
De Belin is set to stand trial on aggravated sexual assault charges on November 2, but has given the club an 'in principle' commitment beyond his current contract that expires at season's end.
Should he end up back on the playing field, Clune feels two years out of the game won't put a dent in the former NSW Origin lock's ability.
"It's hard for me to say without him playing NRL but I have no doubt he'll be able to go out there and dominate," Clune said.
"It's a credit to Jack the way he's been able to apply himself for, not just the last six to eight months, the last two years. If we get Jack back on the field next year it'd be unreal, he's a world-class player and he'll make a massive difference to the team.
"I think he's still one of the top players in the game if he's able to get out there and put some product on the field. Without seeing it it's hard to say but I've got total belief he can get the job done and be one of our best players week in, week out."